Expanded olfactory system in ray-finned fishes capable of terrestrial exploration.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Smell abilities differ greatly among vertebrate species due to distinct sensory needs, with exceptional variability reported in the number of olfactory genes and the size of the odour-processing regions of the brain. However, key environmental factors shaping genomic and phenotypic changes linked to the olfactory system remain difficult to identify at macroevolutionary scales. Here, we investigate the association between diverse ecological traits and the number of olfactory chemoreceptors in approximately two hundred ray-finned fishes.

Results

We found independent expansions producing large gene repertoires in several lineages of nocturnal amphibious fishes, generally able to perform active terrestrial exploration. We reinforced this finding with on-purpose genomi

SUBMITTER: Burguera D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10392011 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature